About Sex Reassignment Surgery
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Sex Reassignment Surgery
This is the surgical procedure that is carried out to change a person’s physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics, from one gender to another. This kind of surgery is also called sex reconstruction surgery. People who pursue sex reassignment surgery are usually referred to as transsexual.
Reasons for sex reassignment surgery The main reasons to alter the genital organs from one gender to another are: - Birth defects: Newborns with intersex deformities must be assigned to one sex or the other early in life. These deformities represent the stages of the present female genitals and the change into male genitals caused by male hormone stimulation. Newborns that have ambiguous organs will almost always be assigned to the female gender unless the penis is at least an inch long
- Elective: Occasionally, men and women believe they are physically a different sex than they are mentally and emotionally. This belief is so profound that they are willing to be altered surgically to resemble the gender they identify with.
Male to female sex reassignment surgery - This involves reshaping the male genitals into a form which appears and functions as female genitalia. The patient has to undergo prior hormone replacement therapy and hair removal. Hair removal depends on the age at which the therapy for hormone replacement begins. There are other surgeries that the patient may also undergo such as facial feminization and breast augmentation surgery.
- The surgery involves removing the testicles and then inverting the skin of the penis and foreskin to form a fully sensitive vagina. This procedure is known as a vaginoplasty and is done to preserve blood and nerve supplies. A clitoris can be formed from part of the glans. In rare cases of skin shortage, a vaginal lining can be created from skin grafts using skin from the thighs, hips or a section of the colon. After the surgery, the female hormone, estrogen, reshapes the body's contours and stimulates the growth of satisfactory labia majora.
Female to male sex reassignment surgery - This involves reshaping the female genitals into a form which appears and functions as male genitals.
- Surgeries that may also be done on the patient include bilateral mastectomy-removal of the breasts hysterectomy- removal of the internal sex organs and chest contouring-providing a more typical male chest shape.
- Prior to surgery the patient usually undergoes hormone treatments with the male hormone testosterone.
Sexual satisfactionThe ability to have orgasms is directly associated with sexual satisfaction. After the sex reassignment surgery, you will experience sexual excitement during sexual activity, including masturbation.
Risks : The risks that are associated with any surgical procedure are present in sex reassignment surgery. These include postoperative pain, infection, and dissatisfaction with anticipated results.
Narrowing of the new vagina is the most common complication of male to female surgery. This can be corrected by dilation or using a portion of the colon to form a vagina.
Dysfunction of the penis is a common complication of female to male sex reassignment surgery.
The patient may need psychiatric care for many years after sex-reassignment surgery.
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